As a door opening/closing control device that is mounted in a vehicle, for example, there are a power back door (also referred to as “power tail gate”) control device, and a power slide door control device. These door opening/closing control devices control opening/closing of a door such as a back door or a slide door via an actuator such as a motor.
Some door opening/closing control devices are provided with an auto-opening/closing function or a power assisting function. The auto-opening/closing function is a function of driving a motor or the like in accordance with an opening/closing operation of an operation switch provided in a driver's seat or a back part of a vehicle, a remote controller or the like, to automatically open or close the door. The power assisting function is a function of applying operation assisting force by a motor or the like at the time of the door being manually operated for opening or closing, to allow a user to perform an operation of opening or closing the door by small force.
For example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-253961, Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-307692, Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-66076 and Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-105584 each disclose a door opening/closing control device provided with the auto-opening/closing function.
The door opening/closing control device of Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-253961 performs an operation of opening or closing a slide door in accordance with a slide door operation signal from a portable controller. Then, when receiving the slide door operation signal again from the portable controller during the opening/closing operation, the door opening/closing control device reversely drives the slide door.
The door opening/closing control device of Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-307692 determines whether to open or close the back door based on an input signal from a touch sensor installed in a back pillar of a vehicle when an ID code transmitted to the outside via a vehicle mounted machine agrees with an ID code of a mobile machine received in the vehicle mounted machine. Then, in accordance with a result of the determination, the door opening/closing control device automatically opens or closes the back door.
The door opening/closing control device of Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-66076 accepts a closing operation signal based on a closing operation of a door opening/closing switch, to execute closing control of a slide door. Further, during this closing control, when detecting that a vehicle is in a traveling state based on signals from a vehicle speed sensor, a foot brake sensor and a parking brake sensor, the door opening/closing control device executes slow-speed closing control of closing the slide door at a slower speed than an ordinary speed.
The door opening/closing control device of Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-105584 is connected with a clutch and transmits driving force from a driving source to a back door, to automatically get the back door opened or closed. Further, in a case where the back door is not being automatically operated, when detecting that a vehicle is in a traveling state based on states of an engine, a shift lever and the like, the door opening/closing control device is connected with the clutch and sets locks on from the driving source to the back door, thereby preventing occurrence of unusual noise due to vibration during traveling.
Moreover, for example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-246936 and Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-308923 each disclose a door opening/closing control device provided with the power assisting function.
The door opening/closing control device of Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-246936 detects operation force applied to a door handle, to generate force for assisting an operation of opening or closing the slide door by a motor. Further, at the time of opening the slide door, the door opening/closing control device controls the assist force so as to increase it in accordance with an increase in operation force of the door handle and to decrease it in accordance with an increase in vehicle speed. On the other hand, at the time of closing the slide door, the door opening/closing control device controls the assist force so as to increase it in accordance with an increase in operation force of the door handle and to increase it in accordance with an increase in vehicle speed.
The door opening/closing control device of Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-308923 detects opening/closing operation force to a door knob, to calculate a drive command value of a motor based on the opening/closing operation force. Then, when detecting that a vehicle is in a stopping state based on states of a shift lever and a side brake, the door opening/closing control device outputs the calculated drive command value to a motor drive controller. Thereby, a motor is driven in accordance with the drive command value, leading to generation of assist force for assisting opening/closing of the slide door. On the other hand, when detecting that the vehicle is not in the stopping state, the door opening/closing control device outputs to the motor drive controller a drive command value (=0) for not assist-driving the motor. This prevents generation of the assist force.
A door opening/closing control device of Japanese Patent No. 2873831 detects operation force for performing an operation of opening or closing a slide door by an operation force sensor provided in a handle of the slide door, to generate assist force by a motor in accordance with the operation force. Then, the door opening/closing control device powers off the motor when detecting by a vehicle speed sensor that the vehicle has started high-speed traveling. This prevents the slide door from being freely opened by driving of the motor due to careless touch on the handle.